Kiplinger again names Virginia Tech to list of best values in public education
Virginia Tech has landed on Kiplinger’s Personal Finance list of the 100 best values in public education for 2012-13. The ranking cites four-year colleges and universities that combine outstanding education with economic value.
Since the ranking began in 2006, Kiplinger’s has included Virginia Tech each year among the top public universities for its value in this annual survey.
Virginia Tech made the list due to “its high four-year graduation rate, low average student debt at graduation, abundant financial aid, a low sticker price, and overall great value.”
About 60 percent of full-time undergraduate students at Virginia Tech graduate within four years. Another 20 percent graduate within six years.
Annual tuition and fees for undergraduates remains low at $10,923 for in-state students and $25,915 for out-of-state students. The university is looking for ways to save students more money and decrease time towards degree completion. The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors approved a 10 percent reduction for summer session enrollment compared to regular session hourly rates beginning in summer 2013 on a pilot program basis.
Virginia Tech also expands its affordability for students by increasing funding for student financial aid. More than 60 percent of Virginia Tech students receive some type of financial aid. In the last academic year, the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid awarded or monitored about $414 million in aid to students.
“We want students to get the best education possible without a significant financial strain,” said Daniel Wubah, vice president for undergraduate education and deputy provost. “Through innovative faculty, staff, curricula, programs, and services, students can develop academically, socially, and professionally – ensuring their success during their time on campus and after they graduate.”
Six other Virginia schools that made the list are the University of Virginia, the College of William and Mary, James Madison University, University of Mary Washington, George Mason University, and Christopher Newport University.
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.
